[Donald Moore]

THE FAMILY THROUGH THE BIBLE

AARON and MOSES ~ BROTHERS

 ~ 2012 EDITION ~

TEXT: EXODUS 4:10-16

INTRODUCTION: Before Moses was born, before Adam was created, God had already made plans for the Jews to be in Egypt 400 years, plans for Moses to be born, raised in the palace by Pharaohs daughter, he was formerly educated by the Egyptians, and properly reared by his birth mother, only God could do that!

After 40 years, and all of the former training, God has him flee to the back side of a desert where God had some more basic training to do.

At 80 years old God calls Moses to be the deliverer of the Jews from Egyptian bondage.

Moses tries offering excuses why he cannot be the man, and God gets upset with Moses. One of Moses excuses is that he cannot speak well.

NOTE: It is not a wise thing to tell the Creator who created you that you cannot do something He created you to do!

In our text we read where God informed Moses that his brother, AAron is coming to see him, and that God knows AAron to be a good speaker.

Most of us know the stories about Moses, so this lesson will focus more on “AAron the Levite, thy brother.”

1.      GOD KNEW AARON

Most of us know about Moses, but realize God knew AAron and knew him well enough to know he was a good speaker.

By the way, we have no record of AAron being formerly trained as was Moses, it is most likely his parents taught, and trained him. If they could in bondage so can you!

I want you to realize that there is a great lesson in the fact God knew AAron.

God not only had a plan for Moses life, as a deliverer of the Jew but lesser known, perhaps less blessed AAron was still on God’s radar and refrigerator!   

SO ARE YOU!

God has a plan for your life as He did Moses, and God knows your talents as he did AAron’s, and He gave them to you so He can use you for His glory!  Use what God gave you to deliver some people who are in bondage!

As AAron delivered the Jews from bondage, guess what? He also obtained him own freedom. It works!

2.      MOSES and AARON WERE TO BE TEAM

A.      VERSE 16

They worked well as a team.

They both knew their role, and they both stayed in the lines.

God called Moses to lead, he called AAron to support Moses, and to be the mouthpiece for Moses.

There is no “I” in “TEAM”, there is in “PRIDE and SIN” though.

As long as they teamed up and worked together, they moved on in the will, and glory of God.

When they did not, it caused big problems.

Moses was no doubt the God ordained leader, we would think AAron was second string, second fiddle, backup, but we never read of AAron himself complaining, or being a malcontent.

Someone said, “Great things can be accomplished when it does not matter who gets the credit.”

6:9 It is interesting that Moses spoke to the Jews and they would not listen to him. He had not yet proven himself.

Important lesson to be learned here:

There are many smooth talkers who can sway a crowd, but normally, with the work of God, people must see God work before they will listen.

Be careful listening to smooth talkers who have not truly proven that they are workers of God.

Be careful to listen to those who have proven they work for God.

B.      GOD USED AARON

7:5; 8:5, 17

How many times have you heard preaching/teaching say that Moses held out his rod, and the plagues occurred? It was not Moses these times, it was AAron!
It is amazing what God can do with you if you are willing to play the role, and act the part God has for you!

NUMBERS 16:44-50 AAron stood between the living and the dead!

Realize that Moses was at least 80 years old, and AAron was older yet, his cause was great, so he ran!

11:10 “AND MOSES and AARON DID ALL THESE WONDERS BEFORE PHARAOH…”

Let me turn this around.

A leader may lead, and be a great leader, but he cannot do it himself!

STORY: The great church leader, Lee Roberson preached a sermon, “Everything Rises and Fall’s on Leadership.” Bob Gray preached, “Everything Rises and Fall’s on Followship.” Both were right!

You cannot have a great leader without the leader having some great followers who are working with him towards greatness!

This Chapel is not good because we have a good leader, it has become good because there are men who follow well, submit without complaints, and criticism, pray much, and take what they are taught, and admonished, and encouraged to do, try it, and see that it works well!

17:12  Hold up the leader with loyal support!

16:20  AAron stood with Moses when he had opportunity to stand with Korah, and sink with Korah!

It is always best to stand with authority.

Let God deal with authority, it is much safer!

C.      GOD REWARDED HIS GREAT FOLLOWSHIP and EFFORT

24:9-10

3.      BROTHER’S ARE NOT PERFECT

Each of them made mistakes.

They were still brother’s, they were still called of God,

They still had a task to complete for God, and they were still a team!

Learn and realize the job for God is bigger than we are!

It is bigger than our petty differences, and it is bigger than our personality clashes!

32:21   AAron and the golden calf.

That was a huge mistake made by AAron!

I do not believe that Moses ever mentions AAron again regarding the mistake. He mentions the people and the calf, and he does mention that he prayed for God to show mercy to AAron and the people, but that is that. It is over with.

We all make mistakes, we all sin, then forgive, forget, and go on!

If you keep bringing up past mistakes you will never live today and the future!

We do this with our wife, and children and it really hurts the relationship!

I have had teammates who have made mistake’s, and boy, I sure took a hit for the mistake they made, but we are a team! We are one body, no “I” in team!

As church brethren this is true too

LEVITICUS 10:1-3  AAron’s sons use wrong incense and die.

NUMBERS 12  Miriam, with AAron stand up to Moses, and God did not appreciate it. Miriam became leprous.

4.      THEY BOTH DIED ON “TOP”

NUMBERS 20:23-29

A couple of things regarding this:

1.      “gathered unto his people” This was a popular phrase used by God, and Moses when a beloved saint died.

Will there be any people in Heaven that you will know?

Will there be any people in Heaven that you influenced to be there?

2.      Moses and AAron, AAron and Moses, they sure fought a bunch of battles, were in the desert a lot, but they finished on top!

AAron on Mt. Hor, Moses on Mt. Nebo, both died on the mountain top!

When my battle is fought, my course is run, I want to finish on the mountain top, not having quit, given up, backslid into a valley, I want to finish on top!